Introduction
Lilongwe is the capital and second largest city (after Blantyre) of Malawi, a small, landlocked country in southeastern Africa. Lilongwe, a market center in a farming region, was named after a river that flows nearby.
Places of interest
The two centers of Lilongwe are called Old Town and Capital Hill. Old Town is the business and market center. Capital Hill houses the government buildings and embassies. Between the two districts is the Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary, a wilderness within the city. Lilongwe is also home to the agricultural and nursing branches of the University of Malawi.
A series of development projects during the 1970s and 1980s helped to modernize the city. They included a new international airport, rail connections to the country's eastern and western regions, and industrial areas in the northern part of town.
Economy
Malawi is a rural country whose economy is based largely on farming. At the end of the 20th century, agriculture employed almost seven out of every eight workers. The country's main crop is tobacco, which is traded on a large scale in the auction rooms of Lilongwe. The government, schools, and hotels provide jobs in Lilongwe as well.
History
In 1902, the British founded Lilongwe as a government post in what was then called the Nyasaland Districts Protectorate. British forces had conquered the region several years earlier.
Malawi achieved its independence in 1964. Several years later, the country's leaders announced a plan to move the capital from Zomba to Lilongwe. The reason for this was to strengthen the nation's central and northern regions. Both Zomba and Blantyre, the country's main industrial center, are cities of the south. Lilongwe officially became the capital in 1975. Population (1998 estimate), 435,964.
